Breaking Down Barriers
by AandOx3
Summary: Can Wade and Zoe find their way back to each other or are some truths too hard to overcome?
1. Chapter 1

Hey all! This is my first time writing anything fanfiction so reviews, feedback, constructive criticism is definitely appreciated. This story is going to be a bit angsty but I just think there's some conversations that Zoe and Wade need to have and I'm not sure that the show will take it there. This story is going to be kind of short (maybe 4-5 chapters) as I dip my toe into the writing pool.

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Zoe sat at the Rammer Jammer with Joel. Their first major holiday as a couple was coming up and of course it had to be Bluebell's famous Planksgiving. Joel was really getting a kick out of the preparation and festivities. She had to give him credit – he was really trying to fit into the Bluebell community, even if he found pirates ridiculous. He was hinting at a New York getaway for Christmas time but Zoe couldn't leave Bluebell at Christmas – it was magical. Thoughts of her last Christmas in Bluebell floated in her mind….breakfast with Wade, her mom and Lavon; kissing Wade under the mistletoe; her mom snapping pics of her and Wade in front of the Christmas tree…pictures she hadn't been able to tear or throw away because they held a special place in her heart.

"Zoe?" She realized that Joel was trying to get her attention. She quickly pushed thoughts of Wade out of her head. Recently, she found herself doing that more and more often.

"Sorry – I spaced out for a second. How was your day?" Zoe tried to focus her attention back on Joel. He was so great. He was safe and stable and he had taken this whole move to Bluebell in stride. He was crazy about her too. He was exactly who she pictured herself with all along….right? Did it matter if he didn't stir up butterflies in her stomach the way a flannel-clad neighbor used to (or if she was being completely honest with herself, still did)? So what if she didn't crave his touch the way she used to crave Wade's? He didn't drive her crazy, and he wasn't stubborn as a mule…but he also couldn't put a big smile on her face with a smirk and a smart ass comment. Joel was more mature than that and that was exactly what she needed. Besides, he would never hurt her.

As her thoughts wandered again, her eyes wandered over to Wade. She and Joel were sitting at the bar. She hadn't purposely sat at a stool that gave her a perfect view of Wade….at least she didn't think she had done it purposely. Wade looked good, but he always looked good. He saw her looking and gave her a small smile and a wave from the other end of the bar. She smiled back. She couldn't deny that some tension had eased from her when she found out that Wade and Lemon weren't really dating. It was petty and beneath her but it had definitely stung when she thought that Wade had easily replaced her in his heart…and with Lemon of all people! Glancing over at Joel, she realized how hypocritical she was being. She smiled and nodded at whatever Joel was saying, praying he didn't realize how distracted she was tonight.

Zoe noticed the cute brunette girl that walked up to the bar. She stood on the other side of Joel's stool, giggling and tittering, trying to get Wade's attention. Zoe rolled her eyes. She smiled at Joel again feigning interest in his story.

"Hi Wade! How are you? Long time no see" the brunette chirped.

"Uh….hey Claudette. How you doin'? What can I get ya?" Zoe thought it odd that Wade looked very nervous suddenly.

"I'll start out with a lite beer for now…in a glass." Wade set a glass on the bar and grabbed a beer bottle. He started pouring her drink. "Congrats on this place Wade! I just heard the good news." Wade just nodded his head to acknowledge her comment. "What time do you close this place down? Maybe we can hang out….ya know finish what we never even got to start that night of Battle of the Bands?" Claudette shrieked suddenly as Wade knocked over the drink he had been pouring and some beer splashed up onto her shirt. "Wade!"

"Sorry about that Claudette. The ladies room is right over there," he said, pointing over to the restrooms, "Why don't you go get cleaned up and when you come out, your drink will be waiting for you – on the house" the brunette scurried off to the ladies room.

Zoe felt her face get hot. What did Claudette just say and what did it mean?! Finish what they never started? Battle of the bands? That was the night…the night that had ruined them. Wade didn't look in her direction but his face was flushed – he was purposely avoiding eye contact with her.

"Joel, babe, sorry to interrupt but I gotta….I gotta go to the bathroom. I'll be back." Zoe didn't even wait for him to react before she grabbed her purse and hopped off her stool, following the path Claudette had just taken.

When she walked into the bathroom, Claudette was standing by the sinks blotting at the stains on her shirt. Zoe walked over to the sinks and pulled out a compact from her purse pretending that she was checking her makeup. She had to get information but she had no idea how. She couldn't exactly just come out and say "What happened between you and Wade the night of battle of the bands." Could she?!

"Cute shoes" Zoe opened with that.

"Huh? Oh, um, thanks." Claudette responded, obviously preoccupied trying to dry her shirt.

"You'd think a bartender wouldn't be so clumsy" Zoe exclaimed, trying to make small talk. Claudette looked up at her questioningly. "I was sitting at the bar with my boyfriend and noticed when the bartender spilled your drink" Zoe continued hurriedly.

Claudette let out a small giggle and replied "Well, I hope that means I've got him all worked up and flustered!"

"Oh, do you know him?" Zoe asked trying to keep her demeanor casual.

Claudette smiled at that comment. "Wade? Yeah, actually…he and I kinda have a history." Zoe's face fell. She looked at herself in the mirror. What was she doing?! This was crazy. Why was she opening old wounds?

"Oh, really?" She responded distractedly.

"Well, I wish we had more of a history really," Claudette was talking absent-mindedly while checking herself out in the mirror. "We almost got together one night but he sneaked out of my place while I was in the bathroom…." Claudette kept talking but Zoe wasn't listening anymore.

Zoe's blood ran cold. Was she talking about _that_ night? Wade had snuck out of her place? Claudette's words to Wade from earlier still hung in Zoe's head, "_Maybe we can hang out….ya know finish what we never even got to start that night of Battle of the Bands?"_ If that was the night she was talking about, then he had never….

"Well, I guess I'll see you out there!" Claudette called out to Zoe as she left the bathroom. Zoe waved without looking at her.

Her world was spinning. Could this possibly be true? Why would he lie?! Nothing made sense but Zoe had to know – she needed answers. Even if it brought up all the old hurt from before. She would deal with that later.

She stepped out of the ladies room and looked over to where she and Joel had been sitting. Lavon had arrived at some point and was talking to Joel. Lavon caught her eye and was about to wave and smile but the look on Zoe's face stopped him. She put one finger up to her lips in a silence motion and even though there was a questioning look in his eyes, Lavon didn't acknowledge her. He continued his conversation with Joel.

Next, she looked over behind the bar, and just as she expected, Wade was clearly looking at her now. There was no avoiding her gaze. She always knew he was observant so she was sure it hadn't escaped his notice that she and Claudette had been in the bathroom at the same time. She motioned with her eyes towards the back exit and started walking in that direction. She heard him call out, "Wanda can you cover me for a few minutes?" just as she walked out the door. The back exit led to the secluded alleyway behind the bar. She heard the door open and close behind her. She felt his presence. He walked a few steps past her, his back to her.

She waited until he turned to face her because she wanted to see his face and look in his eyes when she asked him what she needed to know. After everything, he wouldn't dare lie to her again, would he?

"I need to ask you something" she said in a voice that she didn't recognize. "That night…" she faltered – she knew she had to get this out before she lost her courage. "The night of battle of the bands, you never cheated on me" her question had turned into a statement. Suddenly, she was _that_ sure of herself.

There was no look of surprise on Wade's face – just what seemed like a look of resignation. His hand went to rub the back of his neck.

"No, I didn't."


	2. Chapter 2

"What?" Zoe whispered incredulously. All the air rushed out of her lungs. "You lied?!" He didn't answer her; his gaze dropped down to the ground. "Why would you do that?" She stepped closer to him. He gave her a tortured look but still didn't respond.

"Why would you do that to me?! Why did you hurt me like that?! Why did you do that?" His continued silence just served to anger her more, her voice getting louder with each question. "Why…did you…do that?!" with every word she shoved at him trying to get a reaction out of him.

He grabbed her wrists so she couldn't push him anymore. "What does it matter Zoe? Let it go. It doesn't change anything. Just let it go" he responded harshly.

"No Wade! I have a right to know why you would lie to me like that?! Did you just want to break up with me? Why not just dump me?! Why would you make up a lie that you slept with someone else?!" She yelled at him and still got no response. "Damn it Wade! Answer me!" She made a futile attempt at freeing her wrists from his grasp to try to push at his chest again.

Something snapped in him and he grabbed her by the arms. "Because you deserved better Zoe! You deserved better than some loser bartender from a hick Southern town!" he yelled at her while shaking her lightly. Seeing the tears that had spilled over onto her cheeks, he lowered his voice. "Because you should have been with someone like Tucker or Joel instead of me! They're successful and good and would take care of you and love you. You deserve to be happy" he whispered harshly at her.

Zoe couldn't believe what she was hearing. Tears were freely falling from her eyes now and a pain she didn't know she was capable of feeling took over her heart. "I was happy Wade. You made me happy" she whispered.

He shook his head. "It wouldn't have lasted Zoe. I screw things up. I just decided to screw us up earlier and on my terms… before you could get hurt any more than necessary. I needed you to see me for who I really am. I needed you to hate me. I needed you to move on." He said sadly.

Zoe was silent for a moment as she took everything in. "Then why did you seek me out to tell me that you loved me before I left for New York?" she asked quietly.

He shrugged his shoulders, looking down, avoiding her gaze. Instead, he focused on watching his hands as they moved down her arms to her elbows. He took a deep breath and let go of her but they were still standing dangerously close to each other. "I don't know…I guess maybe I had a moment of indecision, a moment of weakness. Everything turned out for the best though. You moving away for 5 months and finding the man you're supposed to be with was exactly what was supposed to happen."

A sob escaped her throat. She had always been able to keep her emotions in check when needed but right now, at this time, she was the most vulnerable she had ever been. Her knees began to buckle and she sagged down towards the ground. Wade was right there to support her, his hands moving to her waist to hold her up. She leaned against him as another sob escaped her throat.

"Were you lying when you told me that you loved me?" she asked quietly after a few moments. "Was that a lie too? Or just when you told me that you cheated on me?" Her world was being turned upside down and she was having trouble deciphering fact from fiction.

"It doesn't matter anymore Zoe. Just let it go. Please let it go. You're with Joel. You're happy. He's everything you've ever wanted" he whispered. He was looking at her intently but the look in his eyes was guarded. He was so close. His hands were on her hips now; hers on his chest.

"No, Wade, answer me. If you ever cared for me at all, then answer me honestly now. Were you lying when you told me you loved me?"

Wade was unusually quiet and wouldn't look her in the eyes. She could feel the warmth from his hands on her hips, smell his light cologne, feel his muscles tense under her hands. She realized just how much she missed his touch. She hadn't felt this alive in months. "Wade" she said in a pleading voice. "W-what if…I'm not happy?" Zoe whispered as she looked up at him.

His hands tightened around her hips as he looked down at her. "Zoe, don't go there" he said in a low warning voice. She knew she shouldn't do this, but this was the closest they had been in months. She'd be fooling herself if she tried to deny that she had missed him. She was so mad at him for his lie but when he was so close, she had trouble thinking rationally. She slowly moved her hands up from his chest to his shoulders, taking in every muscle, every ridge. She felt his hands on her hips, pulling her closer to him still. She made a small whimpering sound in the back of her throat. "Zoe" she heard Wade whisper in a tortured voice as he lowered his head slightly. Her hands moved up his neck to either side of his face. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. She needed more. "Wade, please" she pleaded, guiding his face down towards her upturned face. He rested his forehead on hers; she nuzzled his nose with her own as she committed every movement, every sensation to memory. She pulled his face closer still as she raised herself on tiptoes to close the short distance between them. His lips barely grazed hers in a mere whisper of a kiss – it still wasn't enough.

"I'm sure she's around here somewhere!" Wade and Zoe both startled as they heard Lavon's loud deep voice coming from just inside the Rammer Jammer. He dropped his hands from around her and took a step away from her. She missed him instantly. She let her hands fall to her sides and dropped her head, letting her hair fall down around her face.

"Zoe – there you are!" She heard Joel's voice from behind her. "What are you doing out here?" She couldn't speak, she didn't dare answer.

"Hey man, she wasn't feeling too good and came out for some fresh air" she heard Wade answer for her. "You should probably take her home, get her to bed. Take care of her." She knew Joel didn't recognize the strangled tone in Wade's voice, but she did. She picked her head up to give Wade a beseeching look. "Wade…" she whispered so that only he heard. Wade gave a small shake to his head and muttered, "No, enough" and took another step back away from her.

"Zoe, sweetie, what's wrong?" Joel was beside her at this point. She dropped her head again to let her hair provide cover for her face and shrugged her shoulders. She felt his hand at her elbow – his touch was all wrong.

"Take her home" she heard Wade say again. "Make sure she's not coming down with something."

"Yeah, let's get you home" she heard Joel say as he started steering her back inside of the Rammer Jammer. "Thanks Wade. See you later Lavon." Zoe had forgotten about Lavon – she looked over at him. The look in his eyes told her that he knew there was more to her and Wade in the alleyway than just Zoe not feeling well.

She looked over at Wade one last time. He was looking at her like he was trying to memorize every last little detail of that moment. When he noticed her looking at him, he turned his back to her and began to walk in the opposite direction.

Feeling a hopelessness settle over her, she let Joel lead her away.


	3. Chapter 3

The weeks passed slowly. Zoe tried to keep herself busy because, otherwise, memories from that night pushed to the forefront of her thoughts. Joel had been too busy with writing to really notice her distance and quietness…at least that's what she hoped. She threw herself into work and any and all Bluebell activities that she could – as long as they had nothing to do with the Rammer Jammer or its owner. She had avoided that place and Wade. She couldn't see him right now. Her emotions were all over the place…again. But somehow, this time, it was worse than the way she had felt after their breakup.

It surprised her to learn that Wade was apparently avoiding her too. One morning, she spied him and Lavon at the Butter Stick as she and AnnaBeth arrived for breakfast. By the time they had placed their orders and made their way over to Lavon's table, Wade was gone.

"Where did Wade go?" AnnaBeth asked Lavon.

"Said he had to get to the Rammer Jammer. He didn't even finish his coffee." Zoe saw the nearly full cup of coffee that had been abandoned on the table. He gave Zoe a pointed look that she tried to ignore. Lavon had asked Zoe what had happened that night, but Zoe, unsure of what to say, had changed the topic of conversation quickly.

"Well, that's weird" AnnaBeth said. "Lemon said she made him take a few days off from the Rammer Jammer. She said he's been working himself ragged." Zoe remained unusually quiet throughout the rest of their breakfast.

As the days moved closer to Christmas, Joel kept pushing for a New York getaway. Zoe finally agreed, thinking that getting some space and distance was exactly what she needed. She had a sense of déjà vu and cursed Wade for messing with her head and emotions again. She decided that a New York style Christmas with Joel was the best remedy to remind her of what a perfect boyfriend she had and to help her forget the ex-boyfriend that had shattered her world – twice.

She and Joel both got wrangled into a Christmas party at the mayor's house that was set for the day before their plane was scheduled to leave for New York. Against her better judgment, Zoe couldn't help wondering if Wade was going to be at that party. It seemed like everyone else in Bluebell was going to be there.

Halfway through the festivities, she stopped wondering. There was no sign of him and she doubted he would show up at all. This just served to stir up her anger. She was tired of playing this avoidance game – Bluebell was too small for that. She wasn't sure if it was the drinks she'd had at the party or if she had just finally summoned up the courage to seek him out and give him a piece of her mind. She had come to the conclusion that she was happy with Joel and finding out the truth about Wade's lie didn't change anything.

She snuck away from the party and made her way towards the back of the plantation, towards the gate house. As she got closer, she saw the lights were on, indicating that he was home. She wondered if he was alone. She definitely had some liquid courage coursing through her veins because she suddenly didn't care if she was going to be interrupting him with some other girl.

She saw him sitting on his porch, looking out over the pond, beer in hand. She wasn't sure if he heard her coming or sensed her presence, but when she was a few steps from his porch, he turned to look at her. They stared at each other for several long seconds, neither one wanting to be the first to speak.

"Why aren't you at Lavon's party?" she finally broke the silence.

"Guess I'm not in a party kind of mood" he replied.

"I just wanted to let you know that you don't have to avoid parties or our friends just because of me. I'm with Joel and I'm happy. He's perfect for me. That night at the Rammer Jammer…that kiss or whatever, was just…just a mistake" she said.

"You trying to convince me or yourself, Doc?" Wade asked. The amusement she sensed in his voice made her blood boil.

"I don't need any convincing! I'm happy with Joel! He's everything I've always wanted!" she responded hotly, stamping her foot like a petulant child.

He got up from his chair and slammed his beer bottle down on the table. "Yeah, well, good luck with that Doc. Merry Christmas!" he replied angrily and turned his back on her as he started making his way back into his house. His dismissal of her presence fanned the flames of her anger. Deciding that the conversation was far from over, Zoe followed after him and let herself into his gatehouse, not waiting for an invitation. He turned in surprise when he heard her behind him.

"You're a coward, Wade Kinsella!" she shouted at him angrily as she slammed his door shut. He looked at her incredulously but didn't say anything. "You take the easy way out for everything! It's so much easier to just be the town screw up and have no one expect anything from you than to live up to the potential that everyone sees in you!" He showed no reaction to her words so she continued. "You're a coward because instead of fighting for what you wanted, you completely destroyed us. I could have loved a bartender from a hick Southern town," she threw his words from that night back at him, "but I could never love a coward!"

"Oh, is that right, Zoe? You could have loved a loser bartender?! You sure about that?!" he responded sarcastically. "Answer me something, would you have ever asked Tucker or Joel to be 'casually monogamous' with you?!" he used his hands to motion air quotes angrily. "Would you ever have kept them a dirty little secret that no one else was supposed to find out about?!" he yelled at her.

"That's not what I did with you, Wade –" she tried to explain.

"Bullshit you didn't, Zoe!" he interrupted angrily. "Your whole plan was for George Tucker never to find out about us because when you were done slumming around with me, you were gonna drop me like a piece of trash and go on and live happily ever after with your perfect lawyer boyfriend!"

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You have got to be kidding me right now!" she exclaimed. "Wade – when we started, YOU were the one that made it all about sex" she paced towards him, pointing her finger at him in an accusing way. "I asked you how you felt after the first time we slept together and you said you weren't going to fight with George to be my boyfriend! Do you remember that?! YOU didn't want a relationship with ME! YOU made it all about sex and it probably hurt your pride and your ego when I just followed your lead!" Zoe stood with her hands on her hips, holding her ground.

Wade huffed in an exasperated way, "Oh, we're fighting dirty tonight, huh, Zoe?"

"No, we're just being honest with each other – for once! You're a jackass. It's like you don't think you deserve to be happy and you destroy anything that brings you any joy. You push away anyone that could care for you. You put up walls and make it impossible for anyone to break through!" Zoe responded angrily.

"What's the point? Everyone just ends up leaving anyways, isn't that right, Zoe?" he said with venom laced in his words. "How long are you going to New York for this time? Hmm?" She gave him a surprised look. "Bluebell's a small town, you know word travels fast around here, so yeah, I know all about your magical Christmas getaway with your perfect boyfriend. So how long you gonna be gone this time, Zoe? Just for the weekend? Three months, maybe? Three months in which you decide that you're leaving Bluebell for good and send EVERYONE a mass email basically saying 'see you never'?!" his voice got louder with each question. She looked down at her feet in shame. That email had been a mistake; she knew that as soon as she sent it.

"I don't fight for what I want?!" Wade continued, throwing her words from earlier back at her. He walked towards her angrily and stooped down to look her in the eye as he continued, "I drove all over Alabama looking for _you_ to tell you that I was _in love_ with you and what happened, Zoe?" Not waiting for a response, his gaze unrelenting, he continued. "Oh, that's right – you said you needed time and space and you ran off to New York. I respected your decision and gave you all the time and space in the world," he threw his arms wide, motioning wildly, "and you started a new life with someone else!" He was seething with anger now.

The tears that had been threatening to fall for the last several minutes trickled down Zoe's cheeks. She wiped them away angrily. "You broke my heart!" Zoe yelled, finally meeting his gaze. "I thought you cheated on me. I was distraught for months! Months, Wade! Months that I was living across this pond from you," she pointed towards the carriage house, "crying myself to sleep every single night and you did nothing! And all for what? It was all a lie anyways!" she exclaimed angrily. He covered his eyes with the heels of his palms, rubbing fiercely at his face before taking some steps away from her, putting distance between them. "You did this to us! You broke me! You broke us, so I'm so sorry that I couldn't throw my arms around you and declare my undying love when you _finally_ decided to fight for something" she said derisively.

"Oh, don't you worry about me. I understand completely why you couldn't tell me that you loved me," Wade responded in a sarcastic tone, finally looking at her. "I mean, it's not like I'm George Tucker – who you _NEVER_ dated – how many times and in how many different ways did you declare your love for him?" Zoe looked down at the ground, unable to look Wade in the eyes. "Or even Joel, who I'm sure you knew for all of 5 minutes before you probably threw out an 'I love you'!"

"That's not true," Zoe stated quietly as tears continued to slide down her cheeks.

"You barge in here and call me a coward. I did what I had to do, Zoe. I thought it was the right thing to do at the time! Letting you go was the hardest and most selfless thing I've ever done and I did it so you could find your Prince Charming and be happy" he said, running his hand through his hair in a frustrated manner. "I've made mistakes along the way, I'm not denying that. I understand that by the time I decided to fight for us…by the time I decided that I COULD be the man to make you happy, it was too late," his voice faltered and he turned his back on her, attempting to regain his composure. When he turned back around to look at her, she couldn't read the emotion in his eyes. "As long as we're putting everything out in the open," he continued, "At least I've learned not to run away from my problems…not to ignore them and pretend they don't exist, Zoe. I'm not the one that is trying desperately to make a relationship that isn't right work" he said quietly, sadly.

"Joel and I work just fine," she said with more conviction than she actually felt.

"Then why are you here, Zoe? Really, what is the point of this conversation? Why are we fighting and arguing and throwing accusations back and forth?!" she didn't respond. "It doesn't make sense to get this emotional or cry over something that doesn't matter to you Zoe" he continued softly.

Silent tears fell from her eyes that she quickly wiped away. "Joel and I work fine," she repeated softly with a waver to her voice. She watched him from across the room as he stalked towards her in the dance that they had been locked in for several minutes…or several months, if she was being honest with herself. "You were right – he is perfect for me. He's a good guy. He'll never hurt me. He'll never break my heart. He'll never make me cry," with each word her voice got a little bit quieter.

He was directly in front of her now. "He'll never make you feel like this either," Wade stated, as one hand moved to her waist, pulling her closer to him, and his other hand moved to cup her cheek and turn her face up towards his. She knew that if she had shown any moment of hesitation, any indecision, he would have stopped instantly. Like a moth to a flame, though, she willingly turned her face up to his, and more than willingly accepted his kiss.

There was no denying that this was a kiss. Not like that night at the Rammer Jammer when she wasn't even sure that their lips had really touched. This was everything that she had been missing for months. Everything that neither Joel or George or anyone else in this world would ever make her feel. She whimpered in need and deepened their kiss as her hands found their way up his chest and to the back of his head, pulling him closer. His hand tangled into her hair as he gently broke the kiss and began placing small kisses along her jaw and down her neck. He whispered against her skin, "He'll never break your heart because you'll never let him get that close. I'm not the only one that puts up walls Zoe" he said, before he captured her lips in another passionate kiss that set her body on fire.

They stood in his living room for several minutes, trading kisses and caresses. Wade gently wiped the tears from her cheeks, traced the outline of her face with his fingertips, pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear, taking in every detail. Zoe ran her hands along the scruff of his jaw, down the column of his neck and to his broad shoulders. She ran her hands back up the path they had just traveled and tangled her fingers in his soft blond hair. He rested his forehead on hers, knowing that these tender moments would soon come to an end.

"Why did you lie to me Wade?" Zoe asked softly, not really expecting an answer.

Wade took a deep breath before responding quietly, "I freaked out Zoe. You gave me that sign for my bar. You believed in me, believed that I could win the competition and get enough money for my bar and I freaked. I didn't want to disappoint you and I figured it was only a matter of time before that happened. The last thing I wanted was to see that look of disappointment on your face." Wade twirled a lock of her hair around his fingers. "I thought it was the right thing to do at the time" he said in a tortured voice.

"Why didn't you just say all that to me, Wade?" Zoe asked sadly. "Why didn't you just tell me how you were feeling? We could have worked through that."

Wade shook his head, "I don't think we could have. I wasn't ready for you. I'd been chasing you for over a year and you're all I've ever wanted, but I wasn't ready – mentally or emotionally. I just needed to get my life together better…and now, it's too late." Zoe buried her head in his chest and hugged him tightly, not knowing what to say. Was it truly too late for them? That was a question she couldn't answer right now.

"I should go" she whispered sadly. He nodded his head slowly.

"I guess this is good bye" Wade murmured quietly. Those words caused an instant grief in her heart.

"No!" she whispered fiercely. "Don't say that! Please don't say that!" she gripped his shirt between both fists and clung to him. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight against him. She wished desperately they could stay like this forever.

"I just need time…please" she pleaded with him. He just nodded sadly. Time for what, he wasn't exactly sure and he couldn't summon up the courage to ask her – not right now. The night had already been full of revelations and he wasn't sure he could take any more. She must know that he still loved her, it was pretty obvious to him. It didn't escape his notice that she still couldn't voice her feelings for him.

He kissed her forehead one more time before he gently disentangled himself from her. He watched her wipe the tears from her eyes and give him one last sad smile. She walked to the door of the gatehouse, turned and looked at him one more time, and let herself out.


End file.
